Echo
by kurama-sweethart
Summary: [Shounenai] An oceanic storm invites echoes of memories still unforgotten. How do you say goodbye to those you left behind? [Angst]


**AN:** Hey guys. Sorry for the major lack of updating, but things are just kinda hectic. This is a really short little one shot, that I made sad attempts at some sort of mystery aspect. It also has almost no plot whatsoever, and is basically pointless except for major angst.

**Disclaimer:** If I owned YYH, I'd definately not be writing fics about it.

* * *

"Where could he be?" Botan muttered, placing a finger to her chin, adding a 'hum' sound for an added effect. She stepped gingerly, occasionally bending over to peer over the side of the cliff. It was a long drop to jagged rocks, engulfed in the froth of high tide. She shuddered and sped up. 

"I know Urameshi mentioned some sorta pathway down to the beach…" The tall, orange-haired one muttered, more to himself than the blue-haired deity at his side.

"I'm sure we'll find it. It has to be around here somewhere."

Kuwabara nodded, beady eyes darting from side to side, looking for the said trail.

"Aha!"

The overgrown path wound down along the rocks, steep and hard to walk on. Weeds grew from the side of the cliff, hanging down to shade the pair starting to scale the ridge.

* * *

The skies were dark along the horizon, heavy against the steel gray waters. The waves were becoming more violent now, churning and tossing over the beach. Yusuke pulled himself closer to the vertical wall of rock behind him, at the base of an almost 200 foot fall. The water drew back for a moment, suddenly calm. In a flash, it had surged up once more, wrapping itself around his ankles before falling back again. The sky suddenly gurgled, and in a matter of seconds had begun to pelt at the ground with heavy raindrops. The rain played a soft tune – pitter pat, pitter pat. 

"Crapcrapcrap." The detective swore, tucking himself deeper behind the boulders, under the overhang of moss and grass. A wave took on a dangerous height, crashing into the rocky beach. Gulls screeched and tore up into the sky.

Yusuke sat for a moment, listening, as the rain grew heavier and more consistent, all the sounds of each drop merging to be just one, monotonic rhythm. He ran a hand through his hair that was loosing gel fast, attempting to slick a few rebellious strands back. The fog and mist was beginning to roll in, stinging his eyes with ocean salt.

"Yusuke!"

The said boy jerked up. He looked around a bit frantically, trying to find the source of the voice. There was no one. Puzzled, he stood and began to fire up his spirit energy, in attempt to intimidate the … whatever it was out of hiding. He felt no other energy, no other presence, at least not in the range that one would have to be in to scream his name.

"Hey, who's out there?"

No answer.

"Hey, who-"

He felt someone grab his shoulders firmly, and his eyes were forced closed.

* * *

"Oh dear, it's begun to rain!" Botan whined, pulling the hood of her yellow slicker over her head. She and Kuwabara were beginning their long descend down the cliffs. 

"This sure is a long path. I didn't think it'd take this long to get down there." The tallest one said.

"Are you even sure he's down there, Kuwabara?" the deity inquired, placing a hand on her hip.

"He's come down here every day since… the accident."

An awkward hush befell the two. It was some sort of unspoken mutual agreement to keep quiet for a moment, to honor their lost friend. Botan tried not to remember the look on Yusuke's face when it happened.

* * *

"Do not be afraid." The voice whispered into his ear, hushed and moist and warm, as breath should be. Yusuke stopped struggling. The same earthy smell filled thehis nostrils, the scent that he remembered so well, and yet seemed to have forgotten. 

He felt warm, moist lips on his, suddenly. They were so coaxing, so gentle. He forced his eyes open, starving to see him- to know that it wasn't some cruel trick of his imagination. But it was. There was no one there. Not a soul that he could see. Just the slate-grey waters churning angrily with the storm.

The wind picked up, howling against the worn rocks. It caressed his face with salty, moist fingertips, kissing his neck and arms with a soft, teasing mouth.

"Yusuke!"

He whipped around to see his companions, Botan and Kuwabara, approaching.  
"Where've you been? We've been looking all over!" the blue-haired deity exclaimed.

Kuwabara panted. "We have to… tell you…"

Botan cleared her throat. "… That we can't find Kurama's spirit."

Yusuke's face lost almost all color. "What do you mean, they can't find it? Wouldn't Youko have passed through-?"

"Yes, he would have!" The deity snapped, "But he didn't."

"That's what we came to tell you."

Yusuke sat down amongst the rocks, a dull look crossing his face.

Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a silhouette fade into the mist. The rain whispered in hushed voices all around him, filling his head with their hurried, run together, slurred words.

"Goodbye, Yusuke."

But perhaps it was just an echo.

* * *

Thanks guys, for reading! And do drop me off a little review on your way out. 

Moe


End file.
